Getting a new iPad can put most people on cloud nine, but the tablet can help get pilots literally off the ground.
A recent article on the AOPA Aviation Summit website pointed out that pilots can legally ditch paper charts and opt for electronic versions downloaded to an iPad. This was the subject of a seminar given by Sporty Vice President John Zimmerman at the recent AOPA summit.
Zimmerman said pilots might have to fill out some paperwork first, but then they can take the skies with all their necessary charts on an iPad. During his seminar, he said that all the U.S. aviation charts together do not add up to 8 GB, so an 8 GB iPad could be adequate for pilots, according to the article on the website. However, he said a tablet with more storage capacity will be better if you're also using the iPad for purposes other than flying.
Glare in the cockpit can be an issue, Zimmerman warned, but anti-glare covers can address this. He said his iPad overheated once, but just shut itself off to avoid damage. He also said pilots have been known to use the iPad even outside the officially recommended altitude limit of 10,000 feet.
Zimmerman suggested pilots “preflight” an iPad to make sure everything's in working order. If a problem is detected, the iPad repair experts at iResQ can probably solve it quickly and effectively, getting pilots back in the sky in no time.